Malcolmia plant named ‘Sunmalconpi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Malcolmia  plant named ‘Sunmalconpi’, characterized by its upright and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching and flowering plant habit; uniform and long flowering period; dark pink-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Malcolmia maritima.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNMALCONPI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofMalcolmia plant, botanically known as Malcolmia maritima and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Sunmalconpi’.

The new Malcolmia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective ofthe breeding program is to develop new upright and mounding Malcolmiaplants with long flowering time, winter hardiness, and attractive anduniform flower coloration.

The new Malcolmia plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted bythe Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in April, 2005 of a proprietaryselection of Malcolmia maritima identified as code number 4Mal-2e, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection ofMalcolmia maritima identified as code number 4Mal-2c, not patented, asthe male, or pollen, parent. The new Malcolmia plant was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within theprogeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouseenvironment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in November, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Malcolmia plant by vegetative cuttingsin a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan sinceDecember, 2005, has shown that the unique features of this new Malcolmiaplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Malcolmia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunmalconpi’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Sunmalconpi’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofMalcolmia plant:

-   -   1. Upright and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching and flowering plant habit.    -   4. Uniform and long flowering period.    -   5. Dark pink-colored flowers.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Malcolmia can be compared to plants of the parentselections. Plants of the new Malcolmia differ primarily from plants ofthe parent selections in plant size as plants of the new Malcolmia aresmaller than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Malcolmia can also be compared to plants of Malcolmiamaritima ‘Sunmalpin’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,619. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plantsof the new Malcolmia and ‘Sunmalpin’ differed primarily in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Malcolmia were smaller than plants of        ‘Sunmalpin’.    -   2. Plants of the new Malcolmia were more freely flowering than        plants of ‘Sunmalpin’.    -   3. Plants of the new Malcolmia had darker pink-colored flowers        than plants of ‘Sunmalpin’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Malcolmia plant, showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Malcolmia plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunmalconpi’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalflowers of ‘Sunmalconpi’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in 15-cm containers in Higashiomi,Shiga, Japan, under commercial practice during the autumn and winter ina polyethylene-covered greenhouse. During the production of the plants,day temperatures averaged 10° C. and night temperatures averaged 5° C.Plants were four months old when the photographs were taken and werefive months old when the description were taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Malcolmia maritima ‘Sunmalconpi’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Malcolmia            maritima identified as code number 4Mal-2e, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Malcolmia            maritima identified as code number 4Mal-2c, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at 25° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About eight days at 18° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 30 days            at 25° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 40 days            at 18° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and mounding plant habit;            freely branching habit with numerous lateral branches            developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch            development; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 23.4 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 37.8 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 8.8 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 1.6 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 1.1 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—Upright to outwardly.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—Close to 146B tinted with close to N199A to N199B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 2.9 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.6 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire, shallow lobing.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 137B; venation, close to 144A. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A; venation,            close to 144B.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 144B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single cruciate flowers            arranged in racemes arising from upper leaf axils; freely            flowering habit with usually about 150 flowers per plant at            one time; flowers face upright.        -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of            the new Malcolmia initiate and develop flowers about four to            five weeks after planting; long flowering period; flowering            commences naturally during the late autumn and plants flower            continuously throughout the winter until late spring in            Japan.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about one week on            the plant at temperatures of about 10° C.; flowers not            persistent.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4.7 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 2.4 cm.        -   Flower length (depth).—About 1.3 cm.        -   Flower bud.—Shape: Narrowly elliptical. Length: About            1.2 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Color: Close to 137B.        -   Corolla.—Petal quantity: Four per flower. Petal length:            About 1.1 cm. Petal width: About 1 cm. Petal shape:            Obcordate. Petal apex: Emarginate. Petal margin: Entire.            Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Petal color: When opening, upper surface: Close to N78B;            venation, close to N78A; towards the center, close to N155C;            center, close to 149A. When opening, lower surface: Close to            N80C. Fully opened, upper surface: More red than N82B;            venation, close to N81A; towards the center, close to N155D;            center, close to 154A; color becoming closer to N87C with            development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to N82D.        -   Claw.—Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 1.3 mm. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to 151B.            Color, lower surface: Close to 145B.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Calyx tube with four sepals fused at the            base. Sepal length: About 1.1 cm. Sepal width: About 1.6 mm.            Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin:            Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent.            Sepal color: Immature, upper surface: Close to 137B.            Immature, lower surface: Close to 138A. Mature, upper            surface: Close to 146B tinted with close to 187B. Mature,            lower surface: Close to 146C.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 0.9 mm. Angle:            Upright. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color:            Between N137A and N199A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Six per flower.            Stamen length: About 1 cm. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther            size: About 3 mm by 0.6 mm. Anther color: Close to 2B.            Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 9B. Pistils:            Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 9.8 mm. Style            color: Close to 145C. Stigma shape: Lanceolate. Stigma            color: Close to 3B. Ovary color: Close to 145C. Seed/fruit:            Seed and fruit development have not been observed on plants            of the new Malcolmia.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Malcolmia have been observed    to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about −5° C. to about 25° C.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Malcolmia have not been    observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Malcolmia.

1. A new and distinct Malcolmia plant named ‘Sunmalconpi’ as illustratedand described.